Ginny's First Year
by Reginald Black
Summary: Ginny's experience with the diary and her arrival her first year at Hogwarts.


_Hello, Ginny Weasley. My name is Tom Riddle. _My hands began shaking in excitement. Or was it fear? I had written several thoughts in the diary I found among my things, when what I had written faded, and this line of introduction appeared on the pages out of nowhere. I had written of the train, and how it was scarlet and emitted gold steam as the engine roared. How there was a long isle down the middle, and each side was lined with dozens of compartments. And I was immediately pulled out of my thoughts when, this mysterious diary had _talked _to me. Beneath the beautifully leather bound façade was something alive. I had reluctantly dipped my quill into the new ink my mother had bought me at Diagon Alley, looking around nervously as I wrote down my secret crush on Harry. And the diary had responded, in perfect penmanship, just as what I had written faded away into the parchment. The train rattled, and I jumped as my ink spilled all over my lap. I swore under my breath, and looked down at the mess I had made. Miraculously, the diary had again absorbed my ink.

_Nervous, Ginny? You have nothing to fear, I am your friend. And I, in fact, am also very interested in Harry Potter._

I could not believe Tom knew who I was talking about. But then again, Harry was very famous, perhaps even among inanimate objects such as my diary. I closed the diary, stoppered my ink, and shoved them into my bag. I was glad to be in my own compartment, but I was still paranoid people had seen my clumsy moment. I settled into my seat, and started to drift to sleep.

The roar of the steam engine coming to a stop woke me abruptly. After making my way through the crowd of students on the train, I walked through the station looking for my brothers as dusk turned to darkness, the only light coming from the stars above. I found Fred and George, and just as I approached them Fred hurriedly shoved something in his pocket. A thick purple smoke was exuding from his pocket, and the smell made my eyes water as if I had just helped my mum cut an onion. Fred was whistling, as if nothing had happened. I narrowed my eyes and looked up at the twins.

"Where are Ron, and Harry?" I asked, concerned.

"Harry is right behind you, sis," George said with a grin. I jumped and turned around, only to find a very well pruned shrub.

"Made ya look!" George roared with laughter. "We haven't seen the gits anywhere, have you?"

"Of course not, and you would do well not to be so mean!" I said pompously, storming off from the sounds of their laughter. I made my way to the lake along with the other first years, and very hesitantly settled into the canoe, which followed the gamekeeper, Hagrid, across the lake as if a motor was attached to it. I was worried where Ron and Harry were, I had not seen them at all on the train. I should have checked which compartment they were in, but I was too preoccupied with my magical diary.

"All righ' first yers!" Hagrid roared about all the excited whispering as the canoes stopped ashore. "Follow me!" We all exited our canoes, and followed Hagrid to two great oak front doors. I had never seen such big doors, and I could only imagine how vast the castle itself was. Hagrid knocked loudly, and the doors opened to a very stern looking witch. Her nostrils flared when she breathed, and her dark hair was pulled into a harsh, high bun. I wondered if this was McGonagall, whom my brothers had told me turned student's fingers into earth worms if they misbehaved. A shiver went down my spine at the thought, and I took a deep breath. The air outside was musty, but the air coming from inside the oak doors was tickling my face with warmth and smelled cozy. I heard warm laughter from hundreds of student coming from what I imagine the Great Hall to look like, which Fred had told me was decorated with thousand of leprechauns. I had a strong feeling this was another one of his fables, however.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," the witch began. "In a moment you will all be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. While you are here your house will be like your family. Any good behavior will gain you points, any rule-breaking and you will lose points. At the end of the year the house with the most points will be awarded the House Cup. Follow me." She immediately turned around, and we all nervously shuffled inside behind her. My knees were shaking as I entered the Great Hall, my eyes lit with excitement. There were five tables, four of them were filled with students; the front table hosted the teachers, and who I knew was Professor Dumbledore, sat in the middle. He was peering over his half moon spectacles with a welcoming smile. I noticed that the hall was not, in fact, decorated by leprechauns. Beautiful tapestries hung from the walls, each displaying the four houses of Hogwarts. Suddenly, I felt a hundred eyes on the back of my head. I felt my ears burning scarlet red, and continued forward looking determinedly at my feet.

When we reached the front of the hall, Professor McGonagall produced a dingy, frayed old hat from her robes. Dust fell from it as she placed it onto a stool for all to see, and suddenly, it burst into song! I had expected this from what Ron had told me, but it was still very intriguing to see for myself. After the hat had finished its song, Professor McGonagall began calling each first year by name to be sorted. As I waited for my name to be called, the drone of hundreds of voices and of my own thoughts rang in my ears. I could not stop thinking about the diary, about Harry.

"Weasley, Ginny!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed. I walked hurriedly up the stairs, nearly tripping over my robes. Mum hadn't hemmed them short enough, and I was embarrassed to think that I had to wear Ron's old robes the whole year. I sat on the stool in anticipation.

"Another Weasley? Better be, Gryffindor!" the hat shouted. The whole hall applauded politely, and I took my seat with the other Gryffindors. I looked up and down the table, but Harry was nowhere in sight. I caught Fred watching me do so, and he had a knowing smirk on his face. My cheeks burned fire hot, and I sunk into my seat and waited for the feast to appear.

After the feast, I lay in my bed in the girls' dormitory. After I heard slow, steady breathing from the other girls, I pulled out my diary from under my feather pillow. The pages were still all empty, completely untouched. I bit the stopper from my ink, and began scratching the page with my thoughts, laying on my stomach at the foot of my bed.

_Tom, it's Ginny. How did you get inside this diary? I am quite confused really, this is strange, even in the wizarding world. _

My sloppy writing faded, and sure enough, was replaced immediately by Tom's graceful, perfect handwriting.

_I am but a memory. I too was at Hogwarts, over 50 years ago. I want to be your friend Ginny, and I want you to know you can trust me with all your deepest thoughts. I, like you, am a lonely person. And you're going to help me do something this year that will show how great we both truly are. _

I read the words perhaps three times, and they finally sunk in. What was I going to help him with? And how could he make me? It was just a diary. But then, my head began to feel fuzzy, and I did not know what was so wrong with a diary talking to me. He was my friend, and he wanted to help me. He wanted me to do something significant, to become well known. What would happen this year, I could only wonder.


End file.
